THE CHATHAM COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS TAKING ANOTHER STEP IN KEEPING THEIR K-9 OFFICERS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE... NOT ONLY FROM THE BAD GUYS .. BUT FROM MOTHER NATURE AS WELL. OUR DAVE WILLIAMS REPORTS. (:01-:08) (:23-:31) K-9 OFFICERS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE FOR THE CHATHAM COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.. SO KEEPING THEM AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE IS A TOP PRIORITY. AND THEY'RE DOING JUST THAT. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS TWO NEW VEHICLES THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE NO K-9 LEFT BEHIND FEATURE. THE SYSTEM FEATURES A BACK DOOR SENSOR THAT WILL ALERT THE HANDLER THE DOG IS STILL IN THE BACK AFTER HE'S SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. (LT. LIVIE) "THERE'S A SMALL ALARM GOING OFF EVEN WHEN WE GET OUT OF OUR VEHICLES BEEPING, TELLING US TO MAKE SURE WE OPEN UP THE BACK DOOR, IF WE DON'T OPEN UP THAT BACKDOOR TO BREAK THE SENSOR BETWEEN THE KENNEL AND THE BACK DOOR THE ALARM STARTS TO GO OFF, YOUR SIRENS WILL GO OFF TELLING YOU YOU'VE LEFT YOUR DOG IN THE CAR AND ALLOWING YOU TO GO BACK TO THE VEHICLE TO TAKE THE DOG OUT." THE NEW NO K-9 LEFT BEHIND SYSTEM IS THIRD SAFETY MEASURE TO PROTECT DOGS FROM HEAT. ALREADY IN PLACE, THE BACK WINDOWS AUTOMATICALLY LOWERING ONCE IT REACHES A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE. AND A NEW PHONE APP, THAT MONITORS CONDITIONS INSIDE THE CAR AND ALERTS DEPUTIES ONCE IT REACHES 80 DEGREES. (LT. LIVIE) "IT ACTUALLY SENDS A TEXT MESSAGE ADVISING US TO GO BACK TO OUR VEHICLE TO CHECK ON IT, IF WE DON'T GET BACK TO OUR VEHICLES QUICK ENOUGH WITHIN PROBABLY A COUPLE OF MORE MINUTES WHEN THE DEGREE GETS TO SAY 82, IT'S NOW GOING TO CALL US AND TELL US THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH OUR CARS AND WE NEED TO GET TO OUR CAR IMMEDIATELY." AND ALL THESE SAFETY MEASURES A GREAT ASSURANCE TO THE HANDLERS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR DOG. (LT. LIVIE) "IT JUST GIVES EVERY HANDLER A PIECE OF MIND BEING ABLE TO ALWAYS CHECK ON THEIR VEHICLES WHEN WE'RE OUT IN THE FIELD." IN SAVANNAH...DA

The Chatham County Sheriff's Office is taking another step in keeping their K-9 officers as safe as possible. Not only from the bad guys, but from mother nature as well.K-9 officers play an important role for the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. So keeping them as safe as possible is a top priority. And they're doing just that. The Sheriff's Office has two new vehicles that are equipped with the no K-9 left behind feature.The system features a back door sensor that will alert the handler the dog is still in the back after he's shut the engine off."There's a small alarm going off even when we get out of our vehicles beeping, telling us to make sure we open up the back door," said Lt. Jason Livie, Chatham Co. Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit. "If we don't open up that backdoor to break the sensor between the kennel and the back door the alarm starts to go off, your sirens will go off telling you you've left your dog in the car and allowing you to go back to the vehicle to take the dog out." The new No K-9 Left Behind system is third safety measure to protect dogs from heat. Already in place, the back windows automatically lowering once it reaches a certain temperature. And a new phone app, that monitors conditions inside the car and alerts deputies once it reaches 80 degrees."it actually sends a text message advising us to go back to our vehicle to check on it," added Lt. Livie. "If we don't get back to our vehicles quick enough within probably a couple of more minutes when the degree gets to say 82, it's now going to call us and tell us there is a problem with our cars and we need to get to our car immediately."And all these safety measures a great assurance to the handlers about the safety of their dog."It just gives every handler a piece of mind being able to always check on their vehicles when we're out in the field, " explained Lt. Livie.The Chatham County Sheriff's Office has 10 dogs total, and right now, only two K-9 units are equipped with this system. But there are plans to add it to the other vehicles.

SAVANNAH, Ga. —

The Chatham County Sheriff's Office is taking another step in keeping their K-9 officers as safe as possible. Not only from the bad guys, but from mother nature as well.

K-9 officers play an important role for the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. So keeping them as safe as possible is a top priority. And they're doing just that.

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The Sheriff's Office has two new vehicles that are equipped with the no K-9 left behind feature.

The system features a back door sensor that will alert the handler the dog is still in the back after he's shut the engine off.

"There's a small alarm going off even when we get out of our vehicles beeping, telling us to make sure we open up the back door," said Lt. Jason Livie, Chatham Co. Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit. "If we don't open up that backdoor to break the sensor between the kennel and the back door the alarm starts to go off, your sirens will go off telling you you've left your dog in the car and allowing you to go back to the vehicle to take the dog out."

The new No K-9 Left Behind system is third safety measure to protect dogs from heat. Already in place, the back windows automatically lowering once it reaches a certain temperature. And a new phone app, that monitors conditions inside the car and alerts deputies once it reaches 80 degrees.

"it actually sends a text message advising us to go back to our vehicle to check on it," added Lt. Livie. "If we don't get back to our vehicles quick enough within probably a couple of more minutes when the degree gets to say 82, it's now going to call us and tell us there is a problem with our cars and we need to get to our car immediately."

And all these safety measures a great assurance to the handlers about the safety of their dog.

"It just gives every handler a piece of mind being able to always check on their vehicles when we're out in the field, " explained Lt. Livie.

The Chatham County Sheriff's Office has 10 dogs total, and right now, only two K-9 units are equipped with this system. But there are plans to add it to the other vehicles.